Five Things you should know today September 21, 2012

Peter Gelzinis, of the Boston Herald had a completely different take on Brown’s comments about business owners toiling to create jobs, than I did. That’s for certain.

When Elizabeth Warren forced Scott Brown to come out with this gem, “I want to protect the job creators who are getting up in the middle of the night and creating jobs …” I began to think Mickey Ward’s trainer, Art Ramalho, got it right.

I mean, who’s getting up in the middle of the night and creating jobs? The guy who makes the doughnuts? Those “kings and queens” Scott’s been on the phone with? The State Department honchos who allegedly showed Scott the bin Laden death photos?

I can think of at least five business owners that I know that have worked through the night to keep their business afloat. Including my current boss, I know because I get the 2 am emails. Gelzinis obviously doesn’t know many business owners, has never been involved in a startup, or is just ignorant.

Many business owners work through the night, through the day, and on weekends. I think most people realize this, just not some of the people on D Street.

2. Brown’s biggest blow on Warren came over Travellers.

Professor Warren talks a good game, but when it comes down to action, she’s often at odds with her preaching. This is true with foreclosures, where she’s mined the well of others tears for profit, and with Travelers Insurance. Multiple talking head types, from all political stripes have said she didn’t answer those questions well last night. Here’s a sampling.

The Boston Herald’s Peter Gelzinis: “Personally, I think the one subject Warren left on the table unanswered was Brown’s charges about the role she played as a lawyer for Travelers Insurance.” (Peter Gelzinis, Op-Ed, “Liz Warren’s Jabs Get Under Scott Brown’s Skin, The Boston Herald, 9/21/12)

WGBH’s Adam Reilly: Warren’s Response On Asbestos Exchange Was “Strangely Weak.” “Toward the debate’s end, he ripped Warren for her role helping Travelers Insurance limit payouts to asbestos victims. It’s a complicated issue, and Brown didn’t explain it as well as he might have. But Warren’s response – which included asserting that she’s not a ‘career politician’ – was strangely weak. Of all Brown’s attacks, this one was most effective.” (Adam Reilly, “Analysis: Scoring The First Brown-Warren Debate,” WGBH, 9/20/12)

The Daily Beast’s Michael Tomasky: “First, I think the most memorable moment of the evening came toward the end when Brown attacked Warren for supposedly representing Travelers Insurance Co. against asbesos victims.” (Michael Tomasky, “The Brown-Warren Debate,” The Daily Beast, 9/21/12)

The Boston Globe’s Joan Vennochi: “He scored some points at the end, when he brought up Warren’s representation of an insurance company against worker claims of asbestos poisoning: ‘She didn’t fight for the victims,’ he declared.” (Joan Vennochi, Op-Ed, “A Night Of Smirks And Verbal Jabs,” The Boston Globe, 9/21/12)

The Boston Globe’s Tom Keane: “And once the questioning left economics – clearly Warren’s strong suit – she floundered, falling back on her own rehearsed lines (e.g., I’m not a professional politician) and pointedly avoiding Brown’s often sharp attacks on her high salary and work on asbestos.” (Tom Keane, Op-Ed, “Brown Had A Shaky Start But Finished Strong,” The Boston Globe, 9/21/12)

WFXT’s Cosmo Macero: “Something people haven’t been talking about in a while, he really brought back into the fore here with the Travelers asbestos case. I think that’s going to have a lasting impact. I think you’ll see that, perhaps in ads and campaign messaging going forward. I thought that was an important moment for him also.” (WFXT-TV, 9/20/12)

3. Miceli calls Jones-Patrick care “Reckless” in exchange

Yes, Jim Miceli votes with the Speaker too much and yes, he’s a Democrat. But on the issue of price controls in Health Care he was dead on, and led the floor fight against it. He repeated his opposition in an exchange with Doug Sears this week, and the Lowell Sun reports it.

As an example of this thought process, Miceli cited the recent health-care cost-containment bill, of which he was the only Democrat to oppose.

Miceli called the bill reckless and said its restrictions on hospital spending would dictate the quality of care provided.

“Part of the bill was good,” Miceli said of the measure that sought a limit to future health-care costs. “But there were parts of it that would negatively affect my constituents. It’s not good for the public, it’s not good for the hospitals and it’s not good for the patients.”

4. RMG Canvass in Worcester

Tomorrow, Worcester, 9am. 18 Grafton Street.

Be there, or risk a Senator Professor Warren. It’s that simple.

5. John Walsh and Mass Dems in another Pay to Play Scandal

The Massachusetts Democratic party, according to an unsealed indictment, was complicit in a Teamsters pay-to-play scheme regarding events at the State’s convention centers. The Boston Herald has the story.

A crew of rogue Teamsters shook down major Hub convention organizers, assaulted rivals and rigged union votes in a lucrative “pay-to-play” reign – including once strong-arming the state Democratic Party by threatening to obstruct a fundraiser by Gov. Deval Patrick where President Obama spoke, officials said.

Four Teamsters charged yesterday in a 30-count federal extortion and racketeering indictment allegedly threatened to block an Oct. 23, 2009, event in the city, prosecutors said. State Democratic Party officials told the Herald a Patrick campaign fundraiser at the Westin Copley Place hotel where Obama spoke that night is part of the indictment.

Massachusetts Democratic Party spokesman Kevin Franck said the party is cooperating with the probe into the alleged strong-arming at the fundraiser.